The Catcher in the Rye types (Curated list #3)
Exploring despair with Steven Wilson
Those who have read ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J. D. Salinger know despair. Those who listen to Steven Wilson also know despair. This playlist is a small (and not at all exhaustive) collection of songs that involve Steven Wilson and take a course into the various forms of despair. Here is a YouTube music link to the playlist -
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqfU7Sge2l6_OChio6vQEyNUztO9z9jD8&feature=share
Now to the intro of each song and what they mean to me -
Buying New Soul (Live)
The first song, and its live version more so, has had the most impact on me personally. There have been times in my life when for various reasons, I just wanted to give up this life and buy a new completely different one.
The song begins with synth elements to blend into a “revolving” riff on the piano. The acoustic guitar slowly comes along with the bass guitar, almost like me forcing myself out of bed and walking outside the room when the realms of depression had gripped hard.
The song’s third act provides the much required release after the tension built up in the first two acts. This is beautifully done with a synth keyboard solo followed by a guitar solo.
Russia on Ice
Tension-release is the language of music. The tension-release mechanism happens within a bar, a verse, the chorus, the acts of the song (if it is composed theatrically) etc. Steven Wilson manages this mechanism beautifully in all of his compositions. The intro of this second song, act 1, is such a beautiful slow mysterious despair-filled amalgamation of (again) synth and keyboards and a little later the guitar, drums, and bass. Porcupine Tree were extremely fortunate because they had Gavin Harrison on drums. Masterful artist, he has no insecurity in his playing. I have never heard a single unnecessary element in Gavin Harrison’s drumming. Ever.
Now Russia on Ice is a long song. It lasts for a little over 13 minutes. Right around the halfway point, the song changes into something completely different. The bass takes over into this riff that spikes fear - so to speak - in you as the song changes the direction completely. The next few minutes are a musical rollercoaster, all we need to do is sit and thrill is provided as is.
My Gift of Silence
Blackfield is another Steven Wilson project I fell in love with. Steven Wilson never left a void for his fans after stopping Porcupine Tree [they are thankfully back together much to our please (or despair?)]. With this project, Steven Wilson came a bit closer to the verse-chorus song structure.
The string elements along with the vocals that stretch notes just like the string elements, the song brings forth a longing which is evident in the lyrics. The song makes me delve really deep into music theory and make notes about how the overlapping chord structure resonates with the simple guitar riff but that is too much work, there is already enough despair listening to these songs.
Half-Light (Live)
Let me be honest, this song is a much required break in this playlist, more on that later.
In our final year in college, my bandmates and I used to listen to this song together (sometimes under the influence of something). Our time in the college was ending, the amazing three and half years we had spent trying to make something useful of our lives were to be over in 6 months or so.
If I am being candid though, we weren’t sure if we had succeeded in this journey. We were confronting breakdowns in relationships that had ended, new ones that hadn’t yet formed, cluelessness about the life outside of our college not bound by the same routine and stuff.
The song (again, more so the live version), was a reflection of these confrontations. The despair when Hope fails. Musically this song provides some release with its psychedelic elements but the release seems almost unearned and unsure. If you switch off your mind, you will enjoy the song and will be able to sleep. If you fail to switch off your mind, be ready to confront a few things.
Dark Matter
Another longish song in the list. The song throws you off with its rhythm of 7 beats. I need to research about why an even beat structure feels more natural. Maybe because of the predictability it offers. Predictability is something that makes us enjoy music. There is a solace in knowing the pattern that will repeat itself in some time. That’s order. When that order is broken, by a rhythm of say 7 beats, we are easily thrown off. Musicians do it precisely to throw the listener off and later settle on odd patterns. There is order in this new structure too, the beats will repeat. Only difference is that the temporal que will be slightly different.
There is order in this new chaos.
Another epic element in this song is the simple bass riff. It repeats for the large part only to change mildly in the chorus and then transition into something totally chaotic in the later half of the song. What you should do in this song is count. Count on every beat in this way -
One Two Three Four One Two Three
One Two Three Four One Two Three
That’s the beat of 7.
From 44 to 48
Another structurally simple song. The drums hook us on a mild beat. They misguide the listener into thinking that predictability is good. This is matched with the hopeful lyrics of the first verse.
I am not sure if I can call the guitar interlude the chorus of the song. But a transition happens here.
String elements are introduced along with the verse. Vocals now begin to harmonize.
The next two verses are followed by an instrumental interlude with the music almost stopping at the main part (or message, so to speak) of the song.
Such a simple structure. Nothing groundbreaking or new in this. Just a well made song to convey the despair of time running away. Yes, that is happening as you read this line here. I hope you don’t give up reading, trust me, there is a reward at the end.
Don’t Hate Me
The song’s title says it all. Do I need to say something more? The narrative is made so vivid in the lyrics that a picture forms in our minds even before ever going to London.
The vocal harmony in the verse provides a layer to cry on.
When the vocals stop, the song transitions into another chaotic part, as is the case with Steven Wilson’s songs. You know that by now. You also know that it is often done using the bass. This bass riff is among my all time favourites list. It provides a layer for the flute and the saxophone to run wild.
We come back again to the original pleading of not hating. The trippy elements delve into a crazy mind (maybe that mind is yours?). That is something we hate to confront. Our minds could also be crazy, we have made well by keeping the crazy at bay. But when there are very few things to hold on to, the crazy could come back.
My Ashes (Live)
If you go to the video of this live version, you will notice three keyboards are being played. Three layers of keyboards are required to layer that one dark chord in the chorus. That one chord which starts the chorus. The entire song revolves around that one chord.
I am not sure if this classifies as nihilistic or existential or hopeful or hopeless. My mind bends.
The live version is chosen here for the sheer beauty of the drums. I hope that you are listening to these songs on high quality speakers. The subtle ghost beats on the snare drum, the unexpected (and very complicated) usage of cymbals, the crazy rolls, all can be enjoyed and be cried upon if you have a good set of them. I could’ve included an affiliate link here but I won’t. I really want you to listen to the rest of the songs before consumerism takes up space in your despair filled brain.
Heartattack in a Layby (Live)
The live version is chosen here so that you can listen to the crowd that cheers at the beginning. There are die-hard Porcupine Tree fans who have recognised the song by listening to the first note. The song has minimal usage of musical instruments.
You will notice instantly or maybe later that a layer of vocals emerge which resonate the siren of an ambulance. Ambulance sirens aren’t musical by design. This layer comes when the lyrics say “Don’t feel too good”.
Notice the minimal use of musical instruments but a lot of other foley sounds added for effect.
After the verses, two layers of vocals sing in parallel.
One of them is singing-
She waits for me. Home waits for me.
The other one is singing -
I guess I should go now She’s waiting to make up To tell me she’s sorry And how much she missed me I guess I’m just burnt out I really should slow down I just need to lie down
The base thought and the layers that emanate from that are conveyed with such ease in this minimalistic piece of despair.
Routine
This last melody is taken from Steven Wilson’s solo project. I can talk a lot about the structure, the music, the lyrics etc. What I highly recommend is that you watch the video.
Now that you have gone through the entire journey, take a deep breath. Steven Wilson went on to have this cinematic project in his solo albums weaving various stories.
Why did I make you all go through despair today? Or had you kept some despair at bay which came to life after listening to these songs? I despised my friend for recommending “The Catcher in the Rye”. It is not a book that one should read. But it did give me something. Just like listening to these songs in my time of despair. Music accesses the dopaminergic reward system like no other art. We will discuss the biology of music in later articles. What you should know is that there is deep biology and psychology involved when you listen to music. Our brains go through a huge dance. Listening to despair filled music in my time of despair made me feel heard. It made me feel like someone could understand my feelings. Having that in the time of despair is a gift unmatched. If you feel some despair creep up today, don’t let it hide. You will only feed it for the worse. Confront it today, you will have the strength eventually to come out, and you will come out stronger.